When hospital systems move to the cloud, it’s not just an IT project—it’s a leadership journey. Strategic choices made in this transition shape not only technical outcomes but also how teams collaborate and deliver care.

In this episode, Chuck Christian, Chief Technology Officer at Franciscan Health, discusses the organization's move to migrate Epic to Microsoft Azure, paving a path for scalability and long-term success.

Chuck talks about the complexities of cloud cost management and how it’s able to save them millions of dollars, and he also shares the leadership lessons that have shaped his career, especially around staying curious, practicing humility, and truly working together as a team. 

Learn more about Healthcare IT Leaders.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Franciscan Health achieved a successful migration of Epic to Microsoft Azure, enhancing scalability and infrastructure
• The impact of introducing a cloud cost analyst role, leading to millions in savings through better cost management and prediction
• Why leadership is practiced through curiosity and teamwork



Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction to leadership and finance

(00:22) Meet Chuck Christian: CTO at Franciscan Health

(00:33) Pioneering move to Microsoft Azure

(03:02) Challenges and learnings from cloud migration

(05:45) Cloud cost management strategies

(07:52) Consolidation and standardization efforts

(10:11) The role of health information exchanges

(12:58) Leadership and the CIO bootcamp

(16:02) Chuck’s leadership styles